Android Captain
News

Pixel Update Bug Is Locking Some Owners Out

Some Pixel owners can't unlock their phones after the September update. Here's what to know.

By Sidharth Shankar · Sep 26, 2026
01 / 05

A Bad Update Surprise

After Google's September 2026 update, some Pixel owners say their lock screens reject correct PINs and patterns.

02 / 05

What Goes Wrong

Patterns reset after the first dot, and PINs submit after one digit. Every attempt fails and triggers lockout timers.

03 / 05

Phones Affected

Reports name the Pixel 10 Pro XL, Pixel 8a and Pixel 8 Pro. Android Authority's Pixel 6a test unit was fine.

04 / 05

Ways Back In

A hard restart with Power and Volume Down helped one user. Others waited out timers or had to factory reset.

05 / 05

Our Advice

Back up your Pixel now. If you haven't updated yet, waiting a few days for a Google fix is reasonable.

Android Captain

Get the full story

Some Pixel Owners Are Getting Locked Out of Their Own Phones After the September Update

Read the article